The Price Of Each Choice
by SwiftRain
Summary: In this "What If" Bluefur makes the desicion not to give up her kits to Riverclan...and faces the consequences. Will Thistleclaw reign terror over the forest? What will happen to Bluefur and her half clan kits? Has she gone against the path that StarClan has laid out for her? If she has, Bluefur and her kits can never be safe. K plus for blood in some later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Swiftrain here! This is my first fanfic, and depending on how much people like it depends on how many chapters there will be. I love doing "What If?"s and this going to be my first actual continued story. I know this has been done many times before, so don't hate on the fact that I'm doing "What If Bluestar Didn't Give Away Her Kits?". This is from Bluefur's point of view for this chapter. Thanks! With no further ado-**

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Introduction

"_It is cold tonight. So cold, it could kill a kit...Why tonight?"_ Thought a bluish gray she-cat. She looked at the three bundles of fur in her nest. One light gray, one dark gray, and one white with a gray patch. "_Oh why in Starclan did I promise to give my _kits _away... I don't have to be deputy..But I DO! Bluefur, you MUST stop Thistleclaw!" _She debated in her head.

She thought and thought, all of the while licking the three bundles of fur. Suddenly, the she-cat had a vision of Four Trees, with her three kits, all warriors, waiting, watching, glaring at the ThunderClan warriors. She was standing at the top of a tall rock, with a light brown tabby tom.

"Crookedstar!" She shouted "Give up, or all four clans will be destroyed!" Crookedstar looked at her, sadly, and said

"StarClan has abandoned us. My three warriors are the only ones that can fix it. But for Stonepelt, Mistyfoot, and Mosspatch to full fill their prophecy, ThunderClan must be destroyed. I know we were friends when I was a warrior, Bluestar, but..."

The vision faded as Crookedstar yowled "RiverClan, attack!" It felt like ice shot through Bluefur. Of course! She would become leader if she gave her kits away, but they would destroy ThunderClan. But if Thistleclaw became the leader, surely bad things would happen. Bluefur wanted so badly to be a mother to her kits. "_I can't give my kits away, Stonekit, Mosskit and Mistykit all need me! No one should blame me if I want to keep my kits." _She decided she would talk to Oakheart at the next gathering. With that, she slowly faded into a light sleep.

Bluefur opened her eyes. She was in a meadow, with what seemed like endless trees and lush green hills around her.

"Where am I?" She wondered allowed, nervous. Many voices answered her, but in eerily perfect usion.

"You are in StarClan, visiting us in your dream." The voices said. "We have something to tell you." Bluestar was frightened. After all, didn't StarClan only talk to cats like Sunstar and Featherwhisker? Leaders and medicine cats?

"You have made the right and wrong choice about keeping your kits. You cannot have made the right one, as both paths face the wrath of different cats. We respect that you decided to keep your kits. Only time will tell if your kits will be safe: Even StarClan cannot see that far into the future, and there are many paths that can be taken. Do not worry about Mosskit, Stonekit and Mistykit. They will be safe as long as all of you make the right choices. That is all. Protect your kits well, Bluefur." Before the sight of the trees faded completely, the she-cat saw a glimmer of blue fur, like hers, and a flash of blue eyes.

"Protect them." She heard the two voices she had been longing to hear in moons. She saw a flash of white fur to accompany one of the two voices.  
"Snowfur! Moonflower! I miss you so much..." Bluefur cried, and her voice cracked.

"You should not: It will only make you more sad and ignore those you love that are right in front of you. Mosskit, Stonekit, Mistykit, your closest friends, you still have them." Snowfur and Moonflower said brightly, with no regret.

"But...I-I thought you would be...mad." Bluefur stuttered. She was astonished. She had mourned every day, and now she was realizing that Snowfur and Moonflower were both safe and happy, and didn't want her to be sad anymore. Bluefur's head spun, because they wanted her to move on and live life to the fullest, until she could join them.

"I...understand now." She said, and suddenly felt calmness and happiness wash over her.

"Good." The voices said "Now go home." The forest completely vanished around her, and she fell, fell until-"Mewrow, mew mew!"

She heard her kits mewling pitifully for her and was very glad that they would grow up in ThunderClan. Maybe she would even be one of their mentors... and maybe the prophecy she had seen in her vision would never come true about her three half-clan kits.

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**Well, there is the intro! Hope you all like! If you have any suggestions and are an experienced writer, just leave it in the reviews. I love all feedback. Also, I don't know if I'm going to keep the original names from the books for Stonekit and Mistykit. I also don't know if I will use Mosspatch as a name for Mosskit, as seen in Bluefur's vision. Thanks again,**

**-Swiftrain**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Thanks a lot for all of the suggestions! I also appreciate it when you point out mistakes. It helps me write the next chapter better. I hope you liked the first one, and if you did, here's chapter two. This is about six moons after chapter one, so you can guess what that means! Btw, most of this is from Stonekit's point of view.**

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Bluefur gave Stonekit a final lick on the head, making him complain.

"Mother! Really, I'm done! You didn't groom Mistykit as much!" Stonekit whined.

"Because Mistykit doesn't roll around in the dirt with her denmates." Bluefur scolded "Go meet your sisters over there, by Highrock." Stonekit perked up. _"Yes! Finally time for the apprentice ceremonies! I'm going to be the best warrior, as good as Bluefur! Maybe even as good as my father, whoever that is..."_

As Stonekit raced over to sit beneath the High Rock with his sisters, he spotted Thistleclaw the great rock, and Sunstar on top. As Stonekit settled in between Mosskit and Mistykit, he saw that Mistykit was just as excited as him, and Mosskit looked a little unsure. Stonekit decided he should raise her spirits: after all, it wasn't every day you became an apprentice! Stonekit addressed his sister cheerfully.

"Hey, Mosskit, cheer up! We get to leave the nursery, prowl the territory-" As Stonekit pounced on Mistykit's tail, he said " and hunt for the clan!" Mistykit squeaked, ruffled her fur, and swiped at Stonekit's nose.

"Now, no more fighting, you two. You'll mess up your fur up again!" Bluefur said as she gently cuffed them both on the ear. Stonekit started thinking about who his mentor would be, now that he would be an apprentice. _"I hope it's not Bluefur! She won't let me do anything, and she'll treat me like I'm a kit! I hope I get Whitestorm! He's so cool, and the best prey-catcher in the clan!"_

He turned to Mosskit and was about to ask her what her prefered mentor was when Sunstar began to speak. He turned excitedly towards him, feeling as if he were about to burst.

"May all cats old enough to catch prey gather beneath Highrock." Sunstar yowled. It really wasn't needed, as most of the cats were already there. The elders stumbled out of their den, though, yawning. Suddenly, Sunstar looked directly at him, and nodded. Bluestar gave him one more swift lick on his head before he bolted away and stood proudly on top of High Rock, next to Sunstar.

"Stonekit," Sunstar said, loud and clear for all of ThunderClan to hear. "you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stonepaw. Your mentor will be-" Stonekit's heart pounded. "Lionheart. I hope Lionheart will pass down all he knows on to you." Stonekit, no, _paw, _thought he would be disappointed, but as he saw the muscular, thick-furred golden cat, he thought that he had to be the best mentor in the clan! Sunstar's continued speech broke through Stonepaw's thoughts.

"Lionheart,you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Swiftbreeze, and you have shown yourself to be kind and strong. You will be the mentor of Stonepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." Sunstar finished, and with a bow of his head, Lionheart jumped up onto High Rock, and Stonepaw bumped noses with him. When Stonepaw looked down, he saw Mistykit staring up at him jealously. _"Ha!"_ he thought "_Mistykit must have wanted Lionheart as a mentor! Well, too bad. He's mine!"_ After he jumped down, he greeted his mother and sisters. Mosskit still looked worried. While Mistykit marched ceremoniously up to Highrock because Sunstar had nodded to her, he whispered in Mosskit's ear-

"Hey, Mosskit, what's wrong? This is the best day of our lives!" Stonekit said quietly. The answer he got back was definitely not the one he expected.

"I..well, I kind of wanted to be a..." She finished her sentence with a mumble.  
"What?" Stonekit asked, incredulously. What would she be other than a warrior!?

"A...medicine cat." Mosskit said so quietly that the gentle breeze almost drowned out the words. Stonepaw stared at her, wide eyed.

"Tell Sunstar!" Stonepaw said, rather loudly. Bluefur hissed at him, but no one else seemed to hear. Stonepaw shut up, and realized his sister's ceremony was half over and felt slightly guilty.

"Your mentor will be Whitestorm." Sunstar said warmly. Stonepaw felt a pang of jealousy, but it faded away when he saw how happy Whitestorm and Mistypaw both looked overjoyed. Mistypaw was, after all, Whitestorm's first apprentice. Whitestorm bounded up High Rock, looking around.

"I hope Whitestorm will pass down all he knows to you." Sunstar continued. "Whitestorm, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You have received excellent training from Patchpelt, and you have shown yourself to be wise and patient. You will be the mentor of Mistypaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know to her." Sunstar was done, and Mistypaw and Whitestorm gracefully touched noses. As Mistypaw jumped off High Rock, Stonepaw thought about how Mosskit had always helped Featherwhisker and shown an interest in herbs. Stonepaw wrinkled his nose at the thought of the pungent smell of herbs. Mosskit walked slowly and nervously up to Highrock and leaped up. Before Sunstar took a single breath to begin speaking, she looked at him, clearly showing she wanted to say something. He bent down, and she whispered something in his ear. He looked at her, before nodding.

"I was actually going to announce this after the ceremonies, but Goosefeather has told me that he no longer wants to be a medicine cat, and retire as an elder." Sunstar's voice rang out. Most of the clan murmured in agreement to this decision.

"Featherwhisker has also mentioned that he can't wait to be a medicine cat mentor. I understand that at the last visit to the Moonstone, Goosefeather and his fellow medicine cats accepted Featherwhisker as a full medicine cat, in preparation for Goosefeather's retirement. It also seems that Mosskit wants to be a medicine cat apprentice, rather than a warrior." Bluefur and Mistypaw gasped in shock, but they didn't seem mad. Sunstar nodded to Featherwhisker, and he jumped up to the Highrock. Sunstar nodded again, and Featherwhisker began to speak. Mistypaw and Stonepaw gazed in wonder, as they had never seen the ceremony in which was about to happen.

"Cats of ThunderClan, even though I will be around for many moons to come, I think that I should take on an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown great interest in herbs, who helped me when she was a kit, and who is a fast learner." Mosskit looked embarrassed, and Featherwhisker shot a warm glance at her before going on. "Your next medicine cat will be Mosspaw." Stonekit realized that Featherwhisker and Mosspaw must already be great friends, after all of the days of Mosspaw sorting herbs for him. Sunstar spoke his part next.

"Mosspaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Featherwhisker?" Everyone knew Mosspaw's answer before she spoke, because the happiness in her eyes betrayed her solemn expression.

"I do." She said without any hesitation.

"Then at the next half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." said Featherwhisker.

"The good wishes of all of ThunderClan go with you." Sunstar finished the ceremony. All the cat yowled to Starclan.

"Stonepaw! Mistypaw! Mosspaw!" Over and over again. Stonepaw was exhausted and was going to walk to the apprentice den to make himself a nest, before he remembered he had to sit through Goosefeather's ceremony. Sunstar spoke again.

"Goosefeather, is it your wish to give up the name of a medicine cat and go to join the elders?

"It is." Goosefeather replied

"Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest." Sunstar dismissed all of the cats, and Stonepaw headed over to the apprentice den. He chose a nice, soft nest next to his sister. With a pang, he remembered that Mosspaw would now be sleeping in the medicine cat den with Featherwhisker. They had officially parted ways. He decided he would talk to Mistypaw and Bluefur tomorrow morning, before the tour of the territory. With that, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

**Mosspaw's POV**

Mosspaw lay awake, the pungent smell of the herbs surrounding her, mixed with Featherwhisker musky smell. Featherwhisker had been her favorite cat, other than her kin. He understood her, and he was so smart! He had to know every herb and where to find them. He was very nice to all of the cats, and shared Mosspaw's interest in herbs and healing cats.

When Mistypaw and Stonepaw had play fought when they were kits, Mosspaw would almost never join in. She didn't like the thought of hurting other cats from different clans, because how different were they anyways?  
The only regret that Mosspaw had was that she would not train alongside her brother and sister. Featherwhisker had, however, said that he would be busy the next day collecting watermint from the edge of ThunderClan territory, and that she could tour the territory with Mistypaw and Stonepaw.

She didn't know how big the world was, and she thought about the stories that Stonepelt and some of the other elders had told her about Twoleg place, and kittypets. She had never liked those stories, but more enjoyed those about LionClan, LeopardClan, and TigerClan. She had always appreciated her ancestors, and wanted to get closer to StarClan, which is also one of the reasons she had wanted to be a medicine cat.

Mosspaw finally fell asleep, thinking about the next day. Suddenly, she was falling. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. She hit the ground with a thud, and opened her eyes. She was somewhere dark, with leafless, dead trees. Was this StarClan? She saw a flash of gray, mottled fur, and Goosefeather came into view.

"Goosefeather, thank goodness!" She cried. "Are we sharing a dream in StarClan?"

"Yes, we are sharing a dream, young one. No, we are not in StarClan. But I have to warn you: enjoy your siblings as much as you can now. You will not have one of them for very long." Goosefeather explained.

Mosspaw's heart dropped, and everything went black.

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**Well there's chapter two for you! A special thanks to Blazing Dragoness for helping me with the title and summary! Did you guys like the twist of Mosspaw being a medicine cat? Tell me if you did! Also, if I mention some cats are alive when they were actually dead in the series, forgive me, but do not hate on me! I haven't read Bluestar's Prophecy in a while, and am trying to check it out, so I don't have the events of cat's deaths, births, apprenticeships and so on all sorted out. Thanks, and review! I have a name for Mosspaw, but what should Stonepaw and Mistypaw's warrior names be?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey People! Thanks for all of the support! Thanks for the suggestions, too! Sorry for the wait, I've had CMAS testing and rat taking care of and babysitting and school...so yeah. Sorry, so here is chapter three!**

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**Bluefur's POV**

Moonlight was seeping through the brambles above, lighting up Bluefur who was curled up in her nest in the warriors den, trying to sleep. The day she had been dreading for almost the last six moons was tomorrow: The gathering. She had wormed her way out of the past six gatherings with the excuse of having kits, though she really could have gone when Mistypaw, Mosspaw and Stonepaw were three moons old. She just didn't want to see Oakheart. She missed him so much, but she was worried he would get mad at her because she had promised to give him her kits that fateful day those six moons ago.

"_Oakheart, the cat I fell in love, is not like that! He will not get mad. He was surprised and worried when I told him I was going to give him the kits, so surely he wouldn't very shocked that I kept them. But what am I going to tell my kits?" _Bluefur thought.

Stonepaw had asked several questions about their father, and so had Mistypaw. Mosspaw seemed interested, but knew Bluefur got annoyed when she asked. Maybe she should just tell them it was Thrushpelt. That's what the rest of the clan suspected.

What if Oakheart found out? He would be heartbroken. He knew before that his kits could never know he was their father, but for them to think another cat was? That was horrible. Bluefur couldn't do this to her love or son and daughters. She would just tell Oakheart the truth about why she didn't give her kits to him, and she would wait until she was sure the kits wouldn't tell anyone else before she told them they were half clan.

**(Next day, Mistypaw's POV)**

Mistypaw woke at sunhigh to a intruding paw batting at her silver nose. She opened her blue eyes just a crack to see her stoney gray brother looking down on her with excitement.

"You're lucky you weren't on dawn patrol," he teased.

"They wouldn't put us on dawn patrol since we're going to the gathering tonight!" She replied. They had been told if they were going last night before they lay down in their nest. All of the elders were going, Bluefur, Tigerclaw, Lionheart, Redtail, Mistypaw, Stonepaw, Whitestorm the medicine cats, and a few other warriors. Mistypaw was excited, but also nervous about being announced in front of all four clans like Bluefur said they were going to.

She had smelled RiverClan when they went on border patrols as well as WindClan, but she had not smelled ShadowClan, so she didn't know what to expect. She did know that they all all smelled gross, though. Not the warm, piney smell of mice and trees, or the bushes and undergrowth of ThunderClan. She and Stonepaw had never even seen another Clan cat other than those they lived with.

"I'm going to tell a bunch of ShadowClan apprentices about how good I can climb trees, and how I catch birds by leaping up so high," he boasted. "And how cool the ThunderClan camp is and-"

"Didn't Lionheart tell you 'Listen much, speak little'?" She asked, cutting him off and imitating the golden tom's deep voice. "That's what Whitestorm told me, and Mosspaw told me that Feathertail told her. Plus, a bunch of elders were rambling on about how the apprentices now days 'don't know the true clan life' or that 'the apprentices don't understand the importance of the gathering'."

"Yeah well, you know elders. And Lionheart did tell me. He gave me a whole speech, in fact. It just...slipped my mind for a minute," Stonepaw said meekly.

"Well, you had best not forget at the gathering and slip to the ShadowClan cats exactly where our camp is," Mistypaw scolded, beginning to groom herself. She wanted to look perfect for the other clan cats. RiverClan cats couldn't think that the ThunderClan cats were stupid mouse-brains! Shewould just have to wait and see what the other clan cats were like...after all, get to know your enemies. That was what Whitestorm had told her.

**Mosspaw's POV, Right before gathering**

Mosspaw couldn't believe she was about to go to the gathering. She couldn't wait! The only thing she would have rather done was go with the medicine cats to their half-moon meetings, but that wasn't for another..well...half-moon.

At least this gathering, she got to meet the other medicine cat apprentices. Feathertail had told her that they were really nice, and that they would be kind. The medicine cats formed a special bond with each other, and saw past their clan differences.

Mosspaw was currently getting the travel herbs ready for all of the cats that were going. Feathertail explained all of the herbs as she went.  
"The beech leaves are to carry herbs. They don't actually do anything. Lay those on the ground. Next, put some of this burnet in the leaf. This keeps cat's strength up for a while. Very useful," The silver cat explained. He went on to tell her about how they sometimes used chamomile in these herbs as well, but it didn't grow in Leaf-Fall, and they usually only used it when cats were going to the moonstone, and so on.

When all of the cats had eaten their herbs, Sunstar lined all of the cats up.

"Let's go, ThunderClan," Sunstar announced, and they all began to move out. Mosspaw and Feathertail marched at the back of the group, next to Lionheart, Whitestorm, Stonepaw and Mistypaw.

"I wonder what Shadowclan looks like," Mistypaw asked.

"I bet that they have red eyes!" Stonepaw exclaimed.

"Stonepaw, we must be respectful to the other clans. Of course they don't have red eyes," Whitestorm scolded him. "Remember what I told you to do at the gathering."

With that, Sunstar stopped. He looked back and yowled, and ThunderClan raced into the hollow.


End file.
